fightingsioux4life

You are misrepresenting the issue here (as usual). The NCAA said, not in so many words, that if we chose a new name and logo, it wouldn't matter what people did at games. But if we continue as "UND/North Dakota" and people start complaining again (which they probably will; B.R.I.D.G.E.S. immediately comes to mind), then they will investigate us for possible sanctions. Learn to read between the lines, it really helps when you are trying to figure out what organizations like the NCAA really mean.

Look junior, don't EVER question my loyalty to this institution. I went to school there, I work there and I have been following ALL our programs for years. I also am a Coaches Club member and season ticket holder for men's hockey and football. I also make it to an occasional basketball game here and there (both men and women). My credentials are solid as a rock. So please don't make this personal, there is no need to. Also, you misrepresented what the NCAA said about this. Basically, they told us that if we choose a new nickname and logo, it wouldn't matter what people wore to games or what they said at games. BUT....and this is what you guys like to ignore.....if we go without a nickname and logo and other schools complain about our fans continuing to use the old name and logo at athletic events, then sanctions might be back on the table because the NCAA might believe that the Fighting Sioux name and logo have become the "unofficial name and logo" of UND, thus still creating a "hostile and abusive" (their views, not mine) environment for coaches, student-athletes and fans. That is enough of a threat for me to want us to choose a new name and logo and put all this behind us. And, if sanctions occur, I will be pointing the finger at YOU and your ilk. End Rant.

First of all, I will not be "moving along" anytime soon. Second of all, this is the same song and dance we heard when the policy was announced on August 5th, 2005: People were pooh-poohing the potential negative consequences of the nickname policy if it was not overturned and we kept the name and logo as so many men's hockey rubes wanted (because, after all, we can't host regionals anymore anyway, so just accept the sanctions). The NCAA remembers who we are and they probably will never like us. So why give them an opening to attack us again? We need to cover our a$$es so our coaches and athletes can focus on winning and not stuff like this.

All it takes is for one person or school to complain to the NCAA about some fans wearing Fighting Sioux gear (which I will continue doing) to bring back the scrutiny and potentially bring back the sanctions. And there are still enough people at hockey games (home, away and at postseason tournaments) that wear the name and logo and voice their support for them to make this a potential pitfall in the future. Sorry, thanks for playing, please play again.

That is a trend across high school and college athletics, not just at GFC. It's more cultural and social than anything else. I suppose you expect UND to start losing in men's hockey because of the name change? I think not.

I still think it's a legitimate comparison, regardless of level and/or size of the schools involved.

This was the same B.S. argument brought up when Grand Forks Central was talking about using Knights as a replacement for Redskins. "But Climax-Fisher doesn't want us to use it so we just can't." Well, I didn't care about what Climax-Fisher was thinking back then and I still don't all these years later. And I have the same attitude with regard to Roughriders and GFRR.

Again, I don't care how many FCS schools decide not to fully fund FCOA. I care if UND does it or not. And if we want to put together top-notch mid-major programs, we will need to do this. IMO, there is no choice in the matter.

If this is the case, we must ensure that we end up in the haves category.

This is my basic argument in a nutshell.

Damn GOBC!

I was waiting for this red herring to be brought up. FYI, I am a Champions Club member (Coaches Club) and a season ticket holder to men's hockey and football. So please don't go there with the "you aren't practicing what you preach" garbage. FCOA will require a whole new fundraising effort from people that are not giving at all right now. I am willing to fork over more to help make it happen, but this is a whole new category of expenditure and needs to be treated that way.

Oh, I agree with you, trimming some sports will have to be part of the equation. I am more than willing to do that. I just don't want us to keep all sports and then make across-the-board budget cuts to all the non-hockey sports (you know hockey won't feel the blade at all). I would rather have fewer, but successful programs than more, but mediocre to average programs.

UND made a half-arsed effort at addressing the issue, while NDSU is tackling the issue head-on and making no bones about the fact that they want to be the best they can be at whatever sports they sponsor. As for UND "re-adjusting their strategy", I guess I am not going to assume that until I see concrete steps towards achieving that objective.

When Faison is quoted in the Heraldo that UND is planning on funding all 18 men's hockey scholarships and an equal number of women's scholarships and then hints at possible "cuts" in the future, that doesn't sound good to me. What I meant was that I don't care if most of the other FCS schools decide not to do this, I still want UND to do it so that we become a leader and trend setter in mid-major collegiate athletics instead of being in wanna-be, catch-up mode all the time. And like it or not, what happens with NDSU has an impact on UND and vice-versa. We either accept that and rise to the challenge or we sink into permanent mediocrity. I know which path I want to take.

BINGO! That is exactly my point.

Maybe it is time to consider trimming some sports to make the other programs stronger? I am all for that, despite how many baseball alums will complain about their sport being cut.

I think funding something like this will require a permanent fund-raising campaign similar to what the Champions Club does for scholarships now. FCOA will soon become a fact of life in collegiate athletics across the board. The schools that adapt and adjust will be successful in the new order. The schools that "wait and see" and play "follow the leader" will sink into permanent mediocrity. That is the cold, hard truth.

More alibis and excuses. Do you REALLY think we can't raise the money for this? Cripes, the Alumni Association raised over $300 million to establish an endowment. If they can do that, then they sure as heck can do this. But it all starts at the top and that has to start with the President and then the Athletic Director. NDSU has that leadership and we do not. Period. End of story. All the positive things you pointed out will be cancelled out if we don't rise to the occasion on FCOA. For once, JUST ONCE, I would like this institution to be ahead of the curve instead of always playing catch-up and second-fiddle to the freaking Bison. But I suppose the Vikings have a better chance if winning the Super Bowl this year. And I don't care what other schools do on this. I care about what UND does on this. And I would like to be a trend-setter in collegiate athletics for once. But I suppose that won't happen until we get a new President in office. And I really hope that person understands what athletics can do for a university, because I don't think Kelley gets it.

The following quote from the article in today's Grand Forks Herald clearly illustrates why NDSU is winning titles and getting all kinds of national exposure, while UND wallows in the quicksand of mediocrity and openly talks about budget cuts. http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/local-sports/3826138-ndsu-pay-cost-attendance-all-scholarship-athletes This is the attitude and mentality of a school and athletic department that understands what it takes to be successful on a championship level and has the leadership and guts to make it happen. The decision has been made and the alumni are already stepping up to meet the challenge: I believe the bolded statement above to be true of UND's alumni base as well. But we are missing one important ingredient: LEADERSHIP. The first comments from Faison about FCOA focused on protecting Men's Hockey and possible budget cuts in the future. It would be nice if Faison would make the kind of bold statement that Larsen has made at NDSU, but with a lame-duck and toothless President who is counting the days until he can retire, don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen. Here are the e-mail addresses to Kelley and Faison: robert.kelley@und.edu;BRIAN.FAISON@und.edu It is time to get off our collective arses and do what it takes to turn UND into the premier mid-major athletic program in the entire NCAA. That means going all-out on FCOA. Our alumni can and will step up to make it happen. Otherwise, we might as well go non-scholarship in all non-hockey sports or move back down to Division II in all non-hockey sports.

Hey, as a frequent contributor of "rants" to this forum, yours was pretty good! And I agree with it 100%.

DING, DING, DING....we have a winner.

No UND/North Dakota No Nodaks No Sundogs No Fighting Hawks That leaves North Stars (or Stars) and Roughriders. Roughriders seems like the best option considering what we have to work with. I encourage everyone to support Roughriders so we can move on and focus on winning some championship gold around here (in case you haven't noticed, we don't do that much anymore).

Another person who gets it: http://www.grandforksherald.com/letters/3823794-letter-no-nickname-option-shouldnt-be-allowed That is how I see this issue as well. And I can relate to the closing comment: In other words, don't sing it. Bring it.